Workout December 2015 by Script Media

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December 2015

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Retention guru Paul to launch convention

Experts predict biggest trends of tomorrow By Christina Eccles

EXPERTS have revealed what they believe will be the fitness industry’s biggest trends of tomorrow, with predictions including advancements in technology and opportunities around ‘active ageing.’ At the ukactive summit, which took place at the Emirates Stadium in London, futurologist Dr James Bellini spoke to delegates about Health and Fitness in Tomorrow’s Digital World: The shape of things to come. During the presentation he showcased upcoming trends to watch out for, which included wearable technology and why it’s set for a massive growth period over the next five years. He also revealed more about the opportunities around active ageing – the concept of extending healthy life expectancy and quality of life for all people as they age – and how technology can assist with this. He said: “Retirement used to be short term. These days, people can have an active life for 20 or 30 years after retirement. “The digital world can help, but it needs to be kept simple. Too complicated can be a barrier.” The growing trend for activity through design was also discussed, with bicycle

storage, creating more aesthetically pleasing stairways and walkways and promoting active modes of transport such as walking or cycling all being cited as examples of helping communities to lead healthier and fitter lives. Summit sponsor eGym’s CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer also shared his thoughts; revealing how technology can create a connected training experience. He added that when developing the eGym concept, which includes software and smart connected gym equipment, he noticed gyms face two key problems: 1) The training floor is not always actively managed – meaning members can sometimes feel lost. 2) Some gym equipment lacks digital development. But according to Philipp, solutions to this include ensuring you fully optimise your gym space to maximise usage and that you have the data and technology to best engage with members and their needs. He added that when it comes to the gym: “People know they want to go there. You just need to make it easier for them to go there.” What do you think will be the biggest industry trends in 2016 and how do you plan to tap into them? Let us know by emailing ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contacting us on social media.

No 267 £3

A London pop up shop is attracting customers through its doors by offering a mixture of fitness and fashion. The team behind fitness clothing brand Every Second Counts have opened a temporary store in the capital, where they are showcasing their latest collections, as well as holding community classes and events. Founder Sally Dixon (pictured) said: “Having been established now for almost two years and selling primarily online, we decided the next logical step would be to meet our customers in person.” Full story, page 22

INDUSTRY expert Dr Paul Bedford is to hold a second retention convention in the UK next year, focused on improving customer experiences. The two-day event at Austen Court in Birmingham will take place on May 19 and 20 and will cover a range of approaches to increase retention, reduce attrition and improve member loyalty across all sectors of the health and fitness market. He said: “I was overwhelmed by the positive response to last year’s convention and so have decided to run another event this year with a slightly different theme. “The two-day format will enable us to focus on the customer experience; hearing from retention experts across the globe, as well as operators that have put fantastic measures in place to increase retention and boost revenue, and technology experts; who will demonstrate the wide applications technology can play within the leisure industry.” Speakers will include Dr. Melvyn Hillsdon and Paul is also looking for operators and suppliers who are winning the retention battle to share their stories.

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Operator does its bit to get more children swimming By Olivia Taylor A NATIONAL leisure operator is doing its bit to make sure children are swimming confidently by the time they leave primary school. Everyone Active run an award-winning Learn to Swim programme across 117 leisure centres, providing 125,000 children with swimming lessons each week. But they’re still coming up with new ways to get children in the pool, including a range of different courses for schools from intensive three week programmes to weekly class swimming lessons. Any child that still isn’t able to swim after the intensive course is also given a 50 per cent discount on future swimming lessons. Group swim manager for Everyone Active Jacqui Tillman said: “The intensive course means swimming teachers are able to form a relationship with the children after 15 days of having contact with them. The model has proved successful and we’re very proud of it.” Everyone Active is also trying to break down the barriers that make it harder for children to get to the facility, providing schools with transport. Jacqui added: “I’m not sure it’s always about the leisure centre. I think it’s about the schools and making it easier for them, leisure centres can provide transport and be flexible.” Even children that are already able to swim can benefit from continuing with their swimming lessons by learning other aquatic skills like diving and water safety. “We know that children who can swim still get great pleasure out of getting in the water and it’s not just about swimming; there’s a lot more

Youngsters join Olympic swimmers Rebecca Adlington, Mark Foster and Steve Parry at the 125th anniversary celebrations. than that.” In future months, Everyone Active is set roll out a swimming passport initiative, offering children the opportunity to go into a prize draw to win a swimming lesson with Rebecca Adlington and Steve Parry if they visit the pool 25 times. Jacqui added: “Our main aim is to get more people swimming. Getting people like Rebecca Adlington on board really raises the profile. Becky’s been amazing – hopefully she can attract new people and get them in the water.” To celebrate 125 years of school swimming lessons, Everyone Active centre Westminster Lodge recently held an event where they were joined by Rebecca and fellow Olympic swimmers Steve Parry and Mark Foster. The Olympians celebrated the occasion dressed in Victorian costumes and were joined by 125 school pupils from the local area to take part in a Victorian-style school swimming lesson. They then changed into 2015 costumes to treat the youngsters to a modern lesson, which included ses-

sions in speed swimming, water polo and synchronised swimming. Jacqui added: “This event has helped to re-emphasise this and our priority is to ensure swimming does not continue to be overlooked.

“Not only does swimming bring health and sporting opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, it is also an essential life skill and we must continue to keep lessons at the forefront of our minds.”

At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: ce@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Healthhaus in St Helier, Jersey, picking up a collection of national award titles and has a waiting list of people wanting to join.

High end facility takes a holistic approach By Olivia Taylor A HIGH end facility is making its mark on the industry with its holistic approach to health and wellbeing. Healthhaus opened in March 2014 in St Helier, Jersey, and has gone from strength to strength since, picking up a collection of national award titles. Co-owner Glenda Rivoallan said: “I’ve worked in the industry for a long time. I’ve taken the best things from all the clubs I’ve seen and put them into Healthhaus.”

Members are given access to a selection of some of the most effective kit in the industry, from Technogym functional training equipment and indoor cycling studios to the innovative Milon Circle. The chip card control enables Milon equipment to automatically adjust to each member’s individual body size and training plan. This eliminates any setting errors by the user and ensures that the equipment is non-intimidating. The equipment is also effective for clients recovering from injury and

in the process of rehabilitation. Co-owner Nathalie Le Motee added: “The suite is constantly staffed by our Milon experts and our Milon hot desk ensures that members get the attention they rightly deserve.” With a waiting list to join the gym and members ranging from 18-87, Healthhaus has been billed as the most exclusive gym on the island. And in the future, the team is looking to capitalise on a great start to the business by introducing a Healthhaus at home online training and educa-

tion membership; eliminating the cost and distance barriers so anyone can be part of the experience. Glenda added: “We are passionate about improving access to fitness for all segments of the community. We wanted to introduce a health club that would surpass all expectations; anything the island has seen or currently offers. “Our immediate priority is to ensure that Healthhaus continues to reinvent the vision each and every day, the Healthhaus way.”

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Hollywood bodies workout hits UK By Christina Eccles

THE workout method responsible for sculpting some of Hollywood’s hottest bodies has arrived in the UK, with the launch of Studio Lagree. Having opened to the public at locations in central London and Guildford, Studio Lagree offers clients access to Lagree Fitness, a full body workout which boasts high profile fans including Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Aniston, Michelle Obama and Nicole Kidman. The classes take place on Megaformers, machines specially designed by Los Angeles based, fitness visionary and concept founder, Sebastien Lagree. The intense 50 minute workout combines core strength, endurance, balance, cardio and flexibility. Every session features targeted exercises performed at a slow and controlled pace, activating slow twitch muscle fibres to build the long lean physique that has made the workout famous. Sebastien said: “With more than 200 global operators across 15 countries, we’re excited to finally be adding sites in the UK to the family. The general public today are incredibly savvy when it comes to fitness – demanding workouts with proven results that work around busy lifestyles. “The principles of the Lagree Method are that it works muscles to

Guildford Spectrum has been named the country’s top facility in the 2015 CIMSPA and IQL UK Lifeguard Triathlon. The centre, operated by Freedom Leisure on behalf of Guildford Borough Council, won with 96 marks out of a possible 100 with the second and third placed facilities scoring 93.3 and 90.4 respectively. Four Spectrum lifeguards also came in the top three for the male and female categories. Freedom Leisure training manager at Guildford Spectrum, Natalie Kirk, said: “I am extremely proud of all the staff that took part once again this year and to be named the top facility for 2015 is a great achievement. We work hard to provide highly skilled lifeguards here at Spectrum and it’s good to have their ability recognised in this way.”

Swimming pool is a top performer Studio Lagree offers clients access to full body workout Lagree Fitness. failure with very little rest, and this results in a workout that burns maximum calories in a short time, whilst also developing significant muscle tone and strength. “Best of all, the intensity is constantly changed which prevents clients from reaching a plateau. “Our fitness method provides a dynamic platform on which our instructors can continuously evolve and challenge clients to keep them motivated and inspired.”

TONBRIDGE Swimming Pool has been ranked one of the top performing centres in the country by the UK’s leading quality assessor for sport and leisure. The centre, which is operated by tmactive on behalf of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, passed the toughest assessment offered by Sport England’s national quality scheme, Quest, to be rated ‘outstanding.’ To gain accreditation, the centre underwent a meticulous two-day assessment as well as a mystery visit with assessors appraising all elements of the centre’s management and operations as well as the service it delivers

to customers. To make the process even tougher, managers were not informed when the assessor or mystery visitor would be arriving and customers were consulted as part of the assessment. Quest’s operations director Caroline Constantine said: “By meeting Quest Stretch’s very high standards, Tonbridge Swimming Pool has shown its commitment to providing quality facilities and service to its customers. “In these tough economic times it is more important than ever that local leisure facilities can demonstrate their value, and Quest Stretch accreditation helps them do just that.”

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University tops leaderboard to win machine By Christina Eccles A team of staff and members from Fresh Fitness have taken on the epic challenge of climbing Mount Snowdon to raise funds to rebuild Nepal. The team of 24 people trained for weeks to prepare for the task, with the gym also introducing a fundraising calorie mountain challenge, which anyone could get involved in if they gave a minimum £1 donation. The aim was to generate a minimum £2000 to be able to rebuild a primary school and so far £1500 has been raised – with more challenges in the pipeline to help the team reach their target. Fresh Fitness manager Mark Belton said:“The gym challenge was a great build-up and the climb went really well. The members get a lot of motivation and selfreward knowing they are challenging themselves to help others, it’s really inspiring.”

Freedom Leisure appoints Jeremy FREEDOM Leisure has appointed Jeremy Rowe as head of operations, Wales and west. This new role has been created to support the operator’s new contracts in the region including Powys, Forest of Dean, Malvern, Worcester and Wrexham. Jeremy, who has 25 years’ experience in the leisure industry, joins from his role as regional manager at Halo Leisure where he managed the Bridgend contract and successfully guided its transition from local

authority management to a partnership with the leisure trust. He said: “I’m relishing this new role at Freedom Leisure which is a great fit for me personally and professionally. “The business has clearly had recent success gaining new contracts in Wales and the West Country. “I’m pleased to be joining the company at this exciting time as the contracts get underway, upgrades are being made and the leisure provision is being improved for local communities.”

NEWCASTLE University is celebrating coming top of the leaderboard in Precor’s AMT Three Challenge, winning a new machine for the university’s fitness suite. The event saw 46 health and fitness clubs across the UK compete to travel the furthest on an award-winning Precor Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT). Precor even offered complimentary AMT loans for the duration of the challenge, enabling 943 participants to race against the clock, totting up more than 834km in their 1,215 attempts to beat the highest score – the equivalent of 20 marathons, a round-trip from London to the Netherlands or 94 times the height of Mount Everest. Newcastle University won one of the machines for its club, while the winning individual male and female members won a selection of prizes, including a bundle of sporting goods worth over £1,000 from top brands Salomon, Suunto and Wilson. Precor’s UK marketing manager

Precor’s Jonathan Griffiths with overall men’s winner David Graham. Jonathan Griffiths said: “The AMT Three Challenge proved a fantastic way for gyms and health clubs to engage their members. “There was furious competition between the top five clubs that lead to a nail-biting finish and just goes to prove the value of a challenge in getting people to work together.”

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Life Fitness to support Paralympian LIFE Fitness is supporting Paralympian Jamie Burdekin in his preparation for the 2016 Rio Games by installing the latest fitness equipment at the athlete’s home. Jamie, a former Marine who took up wheelchair tennis after a car accident in 2000, competed in the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, where he won a bronze medal in the quad wheelchair tennis doubles. He was also part of the Paralympics GB team at London 2012 and has won a number of national and international titles. To support Jamie with his training for next summer’s Paralympic Games, Life Fitness has equipped his home gym in Liverpool with a selection of cardio and strength equipment, as well as a SCIFIT hand bike and free weights. He said: “The equipment provided is everything I use in the gym already and exactly what I need to enhance my training for the Games. “It’s meant I can go the extra mile with it being installed at home and it’s exactly the support that makes the difference when competing at the highest level.”

Gym owner Paul shares his expertise with trust By Olivia Taylor AN independent gym owner has shared his expertise in member engagement with a Blackburn leisure trust. Paul Russell owns The Fit Box – a small personal training gym in Bracknell – and wanted to take some of the club’s ‘family environment’ values and branch out, giving lectures to Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre fitness and sales staff. He said: “It’s about helping members rather than being part of the cause, we spoke a lot about empathy. Being able to empathise is a great skill for a personal trainer to have.” Paul spoke to staff about his FLYT programme (Feel Like Yourself Training); telling them that not everyone loves the gym as much as they do and to look at what makes members stop coming to the gym and what we can do to make them stay. Leisure, health and wellbeing partnerships manager at Blackburn with Darwen Council Richard Brown added: “The FLYT plan is all about better service, more contact with more members and ensuring that support is personal to people and has a consistent approach while allowing our fitness staff to have control over what support a member might need. “The investment in our staff and the

The Fit Box owner Paul Russell with staff from Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre. training from The Fit Box has really helped reinforce with staff the level of service we need to be offering and the approach we need to take. We believe this continued focus will help solidify our place in an ever increasingly competitive market.” As well as owning the gym, Paul delivers REPs accredited fitness and fitness education courses under The Fit Box brand, but delivering his FLYT programme to Blackburn staff ranks has one of his biggest achievements. He added: “It was a bit like being

scouted for a professional sports team, having only ever played previously for the love of the game. “Imagine a big team getting in touch, 'hey, we want you to play with us, we think you can help us win'. You'd be nervous, excited, focused, motivated, and everything in between. I think that's how I felt.” Do you have a special member engagement programme at your gym? Let us know by emailing ot@scriptmedia.co.uk and your story could appear in Workout.

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An artist’s impression of the new leisure village in Scarborough.

Everyone Active agrees 10-year partnership to run new centres EVERYONE Active has been awarded a 10-year contract by Scarborough Borough Council to manage four new centres. The contract means Everyone Active now manages the council’s leisure facilities, which includes Whitby Leisure Centre, Scarborough Sports Centre, Scarborough Indoor Pool and Pindar Leisure Centre. The company will operate Scarborough Sports Centre and Scarborough Indoor Pool until 2017, when they will both be replaced with a new leisure village. Once opened, it will then manage

the new complex. Everyone Active managing director David Bibby said: “We’re delighted to begin managing the current leisure centres in the Borough of Scarborough. We have extensive experience of successfully operating leisure facilities in the north east, on behalf of local authorities, and our aim is to deliver the same standard here in Scarborough and Whitby. “We’re already working closely with colleagues at each of the four centres and we’re excited to develop our partnership and for the fantastic developments ahead.”

Trade show launches in London A NEW trade show will launch in London next May, focusing on the challenge of turning the tide on physical inactivity. Elevate will take place on May 4 and 5 at Olympia and has already gained support from brands including Technogym, Matrix, Cybex, BILT

by Agassi and Reyes, TRX and Speedo. Over 100 speakers from across academia, industry, healthcare and performance will also be represented including Public Health England, Active Luton, University College London Hospitals, CIMSPA and Nuffield Health.

Movie star Charlie shows support for fitness campaign ACTOR Charlie Rowe has got behind a campaign designed to promote healthy living and raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. In an online video clip, he appeals for young men aged 18-24 from across the UK to sign up for Titan Force: Trip to Ripped, which will transform 20 participants over the course of six months of intense gym based training and healthy eating. The campaign is being fronted by ex-marine and award-winning personal trainer, Rich McKeating, who wants to show hard work and dedication is all that is needed to gain a healthy body. The project will culminate with a 2017 charity calendar displaying the Titans at their ripped best, with all proceeds going to support the charity. Rich said: “Titan Force is being launched to raise money for an important charity and to prove to young people good physique is about hard work, dedication and discipline as well as a healthy diet. “We’re trying to show that there is no need for an expensive list of supplements and absolutely no need for dangerous steroid abuse which unfortunately is all too common among young males.”

Charlie Rowe The final 20 selected for the programme will gain access to a specialised, free training and dietary programme and will be encouraged to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust via their own JustGiving pages. Rich will be providing daily advice and monthly face-to-face sessions over the six months and he is being supported by ex bodybuilding champion and qualified coach, Dan Norman.

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Welcome to WorkOut Weigh In – it’s your chance to have your say and share your views on industry issues. You can email us at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or you can message us on Facebook or Twitter.

This month’s top Tweets...

Picture of the month

@HITZoneTelford: Fantastic coverage in @WorkOutUK this month. Thanks @CYconsulting1 – the HIT Machine revolution is underway! @SOSAFit: Fab time @EMDForLife Media Event yesterday! Great to see you@ChristinaEccles @PromotePR @PopdanceWorld @clubbercise and @Burlexercise!

Members and staff at innovative independent club GymCo Belfast got into the Halloween spirit with a spooky spinathon. Participants dressed up to enjoy a themed class, with the studio decked out to provide the perfect backdrop. Gym spokesman Paddy Cunningham explained: “This is the second year of running the event and it was a huge success. A credit to all our members who made the effort to dress up and there was a great buzz around the gym.”

Editor’s Comment @cimspa: Thx to @WorkOutUK for report on @Taraldillon keynote at the recent @L_I_W / @MatrixFitnessUK seminar. @ChristinaEccles: Interesting day yesterday @_ukactive #summit2015. Look out for all the highlights in the next issue of @WorkOutUK. @OliviaGTaylor: Nice to chat with Paul from @thefitbox always lots going on! Look out for more in @WorkOutUK

The next issue of Workout will include a special round up of all the action from the National Fitness Conference and Awards. We’d love to hear your feedback and see some pictures of your team enjoying the events in Leicester. Contact us on Facebook or Tweet us @WorkOutUK, @FitnessAwards or @FitConference and we’ll include the best in the magazine next month.

WELCOME to the December issue of Workout – it’s hard to believe it’s almost Christmas! I’m sure many of you are already thinking about the expected January rush in your clubs, as everyone looks to fulfil their New Year’s Resolutions of getting fit, so if you’ve got any innovative marketing campaigns in mind or are planning something to help your business get off to a flying start in 2016, we’d love to hear from you. From talking to the experts this month, it seems that one of the most popular draws for many clubs continues to be group exercise. Our challenge on page 18 focuses on the rise of dance fitness while our dedicated group exercise feature, starting on page 32 reveals the latest trends in this area, success stories from clubs leading the way and details of the hottest new classes and how you could bring them into your facilities over the coming months. We hope you find it useful and if you’re offering any classes you think we should be writing about next year – or having a go at for our challenge feature – we’d love to hear from you. Also this month, we round up news from the recent ukactive summit, as well as success stories from some of our shortlisted National Fitness Awards’ clubs in Edinburgh and Jersey.

Christina Eccles Next issue will include a special feature from the awards’ evening in Leicester – including details of all our 2015 winners and runners up – as well as a taster of what delegates enjoyed at the first National Fitness Conference, preceding the NFAs at the National Space Centre. We’ll also be looking at more trends for 2016, so if you have any ideas of what we should be watching out for and including let us know. Don’t forget to keep up to date with all the latest news between issues by following us on Twitter and Facebook and have a great month!

This month’s hot topic:

What do you think will be the biggest trends to hit the fitness industry in 2016? @fitnessgarageuk: Why not join #SheffieldIsSuper finest #Gym Here’s what we get up to, not bad for 10 months work! @FitnessAwards

Send your answers to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us via Twitter or Facebook. We’ll print the best responses next issue.

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Partnership set to inspire people to exercise more

Neil Hutchinson, Councillor Bea Foster, Megan Vaja (left) and Jade Vaja (right).

Golf driving range opens BURNLEY’S first purpose-built golf driving range has opened for business. The Prairie Sports Village cost a total of £2.5m and includes a 16-bay golf driving range, golf pro shop, multiuse activity studio, bistro and bar and the golf and football academy complex, which boasts a number of conference and meeting rooms. A purpose built full teaching facility is equipped with golf simulator and GC2 launch monitor, which allows players to track their results and enhance the performance. Outside facilities include the FA approved 3G floodlit football pitch and new changing rooms, which replaced the old ones at the site. The development was funded by Burnley Council, the Football

Foundation and Sport England and will be managed by Burnley Leisure. Head of operations at Burnley Leisure, Neil Hutchinson, said: “We wanted to create a really high quality golf and football academy. “We know that people have been travelling long distances to use a golf driving range and crying out for this type of facility, so we’ve created a full golf academy with teaching facilities. “It will be a real mixture of people who’ve never played golf before, along with seasoned professionals who will come for lessons. “Previously, the golf offering was quite traditional with golf courses and club houses. “Burnley’s been desperate for a golf driving range for a long time so this will be fantastic.”

A NEW partnership between Cancer Research UK and exercise reward app bounts is set to inspire people to take up more exercise and help them achieve their fundraising goals at the same time. The CRUK Active app will encourage current exercisers to go beyond an annual Race for Life event or charity cycle and maintain their fundraising efforts and physical activity throughout the year. The app incentivises users with reward points which can be redeemed for cash vouchers from big named brands and high street retailers. It will also motivate inactive individuals to take up a challenge or Cancer Research UK sporting event. The CRUK Active app, powered by

bounts, connects to members’ Just Giving pages, and also enables them to receive additional reward points when they hit fundraising goals. Head of events at Cancer Research UK Clive Sanders said: “The CRUK Active app represents a great opportunity for us to encourage our supporters to take small steps to being more active and becoming healthier, by rewarding them for taking part in events, going to the gym, or even taking the kids out for a walk in the park. “The fact that supporters will also be encouraged to raise funds for Cancer Research UK, and will be recognised for doing so, is of significant benefit to the charity and ultimately the life-saving research that we fund.” Personal trainer and consultant Adam Daniel has joined industry sales and training experts Nurturing Skills. With an extensive background within the fitness industry sector, and as a former athlete and semiprofessional rugby player, Adam adds to the Nurturing Skills’ team’s pool of corporate knowledge. He said: “I am delighted to become a part of the Nurturing Skills team and I am particularly looking forward to building new relationships with clients looking to book leadership, fitness training and fitness programming development. It is an exciting opportunity to be working with a company that values my varied skills and I look forward to further business growth.”

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Advertiser’s announcement

Membership at Glasgow Life’s Gorbals site has grown by a staggering 45 per cent after the company worked with GYMetrix to solve the problem of low equipment availabilty.

Solve your capacity problems and grow Rory McGown EQUIPMENT availablity is the primary service of gyms. Members pay to use gyms to utilise the fitness equipment they offer. If they can’t access that equipment when they want to, they soon become disatisfied. Over time this can lead to attrition and will certainly stifle any future growth. We’ve been working with Glasgow Life to solve the issue of equipment availabilty, which has had huge benefits for the company. Glasgow Life operates 30 venues across the city including 22 gyms. The company invited GYMetrix to conduct a study at its Glasgow Club Gorbals site in September 2013. The 45-station gym had 2,788 members, but growing demand was putting pressure on the facility and had reduced the availabilty of equipment for members. “We knew growing demand for access to a variety of equipment had far outstripped availability, particularly when it came to free weights, but it was hard to quantify so there was no substitute for hard data on this,” says Bob Peck, commercial

The gym at Gorbals prior to the GYMetrix study.

Glasgow Life Gorbals Facts 2013

2014

2,788

4,053

Total NPS

Male NPS

-1

Female NPS

Membership

development manager for Glasgow Life. “Rather than just using gut feel we’ve always recognised the value of customer insight and evidence as a basis for decisions. GYMetrix offered a way to gather both of these, sup-

The gym at Glasgow Life’s Gorbals site after the expansion.

port sales and retention and help us spend more wisely whilst satisfying more customers.“ The results of our initial study were illuminating and showed that there were very low levels of equipment availability at Gorbals. This was not only hampering growth, but also impacting retention – why should members keep using the gym if they couldn’t access their favourite pieces of fitness equipment? Among the members that still used the gym, customer satisfaction was low with the facility recording a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of just 11. “The Net Promoter Score and equipment usage statistics validated each other and revealed specific groups of users we could solve problems for. “We knew that free weights users weren’t well catered for but the study showed the scale of the demand, and revealed more women in this

group than we expected,“ says Peck. As a result of the findings, Glasgow Life expanded its facilities by moving the gym to a sports hall expanding to 93 stations. The space that used to house the gym was transformed into a group cycling studio. The company invested in the equipment that was shown by our study to be most in demand and under-supplied. “We invested in lifting platforms, functional fitness equipment, free weights and rowing machines as well as scaling up provision of the CV machines that we knew a larger gym would require. “We had virtually no cable stations which we know are really versatile so these were added too. Some of the fixed resistance machines like the hip adductor and abductors were removed as they showed very low use. We also scaled back on AMTs and added treadmills, scaled down recumbent bikes and added upright bikes,” says Peck. In September 2014, six months after expanding the gym, the facility had attracted 1,265 new members, representing 45 per cent growth. Retention rates were five per cent higher among members who were regular users of Gorbals before the refurbishment compared to those who used Glasgow Life’s other gyms. The club also reported a 422 per cent increase in the time members spent using free weights equipment. “Refreshing Gorbals and other gyms across the city using data and surveys has been an important part of a wider strategy to deliver a better customer experience. “Perhaps the best indicator is the huge uplift in the NPS to 62,” says Peck. www.gymetrix.co.uk

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Over 600 local residents and extreme sports fans visited the new Extreme Trampoline Park in Barking, East London on its opening weekend. The new 18,000 sqft park is the third instalment of the Extreme Sports Facility at the Barking Sporthouse and Gym development, which opened earlier this year and is operated by GLL, which runs the facility under its brand name, Better Extreme. Extreme national sports manager Jamie Ross said: “We’re thrilled to be opening this park, the latest ‘extreme’ zone element to our facilities. It is a dedicated area for thrill-seekers – a one-of-a-kind – with state-of-the-art equipment for those in East London and beyond to come and enjoy.”

Franchise celebrates 3,000th opening ANYTIME Fitness has celebrated the opening of its 3,000th gym in Stroud. The franchise now has 60 clubs open in the UK, alongside clubs in almost 30 other countries, with over 2.5m members in total. Chairman of Anytime Fitness UK Andy Thompson said: “Anytime Fitness has opened 3,000 branches

in less time than it took McDonald’s, Subway and Dunkin’ Donuts, which shows the commercial strength of the brand and is testament to the commitment of its franchisees. “I’m delighted that all Anytime Fitness members can now use any of our 3,000 clubs which are open 24/7, from Singapore to Qatar to Stroud.”

Parent pampering is kids’ play after major investment By Christina Eccles ACTIVITY destination We Are Vertigo has widened its offering to cater for the whole family, with the opening of a luxurious new spa, following a £100,000 investment. The award-winning venue in Northern Ireland, which boasts an adventure centre, trampoline park and ski slopes, now offers an extensive range of luxurious treatments at the Spa at We are Vertigo, including facials, nail treatments, waxing, tans and full body and deep tissue massages. Parents booking in advance on the We Are Vertigo website can check children aged five years and over into the adventure centre with a dedicated member of staff and enjoy an indulgent spa experience in one of the five treatment rooms while their children play on the high ropes, climbing wall and soft play area in the adventure centre. Co-owner Lorna Murphy said: “We have created a destination which has something for all ages and while the kids play and burn off some energy, mums and dads can indulge in the sanctuary of the spa for a bit of me time. “The addition of the spa will create a unique experience for the parents, where they can check the kids in and drop them off, then come into us where they can relax for the duration of their chosen treatment and get totally spoiled. “With our booking system, the

A luxurious new spa has opened at the award-winning We Are Vertigo. whole process can be done online and once the children are checked in ahead of the Spa booking, they will be supervised by a dedicated member of staff for the duration of the spa session. “We’ve had amazing feedback about our latest venture. Parents are excited about it – I’m excited about it. I do believe that we’re all time-short these days and it’s something that caters for the needs of the entire family, providing the ultimate in multi-tasking and relaxation.”

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Dance fitness can be a great way to encourage people into exercise, with classes providing so much more than a workout. Christina Eccles found out more about the work of the Exercise, Movement and Dance Partnership – and tried out some of the latest trends in this area.

Dance classes more popular than ever FROM well established names to the new kids on the block, the hype around dance fitness classes has never been bigger; meaning now is the perfect time for clubs to capitalise on this popularity, take advantage of the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ effect and add something new to their timetables. As the lead national governing body for exercise, movement and dance – or dance fitness – in the UK, the EMDP is well placed to help with this, with the not-for-profit organisation offering three pillars: EMD Academy: a training provider which offers teacher training and development in exercise, movement and dance. EMD Community: the membership network of teachers, instructors and organisations that inspire others to be fit and healthy through this type of activity. EMD Insight: A programme of market insight and research, which includes the National Survey, The Working In Fitness Survey and The

The right class led by the right instructor can be a great retention tool. Participation Survey. EMDP chief executive Ross Perriam explained: “Our role is to promote dance fitness and group exercise and be the voice of instructors in the UK. “We have a remit from Sport

England to get more people participating and we also incentivise people to become teachers. We’re also supporting up and coming fitness brands to break into the market.” When it comes to dance fitness,

participants in this type of activity also tend to be loyal – attending classes not only for the fitness benefits but to meet new friends and have fun. They’re also up for trying out the trends, as according to the 2015 Participant Survey – conducted by the EMDP and YouGov – 76 per cent of dance fitness participants want to do more, so there’s definitely room for more innovative brands to enter the market. And when it comes to offering dance fitness classes, Ross told Workout that the right class for your customers – led by the right instructor – can be a great retention tool. He added: “The great thing about dance fitness and group exercise is that there are so many different ways to have a go and get fit. “If you have got the right blend of classes and the right instructor, you will keep hold of your members. “No-one has a better relationship with customers than group fitness instructors. They are the heart and soul of clubs.”

In heaven on a Friday afternoon ... By Christina Eccles AS regular readers of this feature will know, dance fitness is my favourite way to work out. From Zumba to Fitsteps, some of my most enjoyable past challenges have been based around this type of class and although I’m the first to admit I have zero co-ordination, when it comes to enthusiasm I’ll happily throw myself into a session, even though it’s a constant struggle to move both my arms and legs to the beat at the same time! So as a dance fitness enthusiast, when an email invite from EMDP to take part in a media event showcasing some of their current members’ classes dropped into my inbox, I was giddy with excitement at the thought of trying out not one but four taster sessions in an afternoon! For a challenge last year,

I’d loved trying out Clubbercise so was pleased to see that was on the agenda, alongside three other classes I’d heard of but had never tried out – SOSA, Popdance and Burlexercise. All of the classes were great fun and the tasters gave us a good opportunity to try a few different things without tiring ourselves out by taking part in four full classes. It was hard to pick a favourite as each of them brought something different to the table. Popdance is perfect for beginners who want to enjoy their favourite pop songs and don’t take their workouts too seriously; Clubbercise appeals to dance fans who want to bring the excitement of a nightclub to their local gym or community venue and SOSA was the most ‘technical’ – I felt like I was transported to a salsa club and really enjoyed getting to grips with the Latin rhythms. Personally, I found Burlexercise to be the most innovative. The dance moves are relatively easy to follow, the music is upbeat and the instructors really know their stuff. I also loved the fact there is a resistance section using weighted feather boas; a great way to introduce women into light weight training and an addition which really adds another dimension to the class. All of the sessions were enjoyable and it’s easy to see why everyone of

Each of the four classes tried out would be a great addition to a gym’s timetable. them is doing so well in its own right. Each one would be a great addition to a gym’s timetable, offering something different to what’s already out there and attracting a new audience into group exercise. For two hours I was in dance heaven, with the Chelsea Harbour Club

providing a spacious studio for us to work out in, which was the perfect backdrop. From shimmying to salsa-ing, it was great way to spend a Friday afternoon, which reinforced my love for dance fitness even further. My favourite Challenge Christina so far!

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Digital fitness: The hype is fact, so what are some strategies and tactics? By Dave Wright WE can all agree that digital fitness has arrived. In the last three years, wearable technology in general has grown from five per cent to 10 per cent to more than 20 per cent penetration of the North American population, and according to the PWC global study on wearables, over 60 per cent of those devices are considered personal fitness devices. Fitbit has gone public, and global brand Under Armour is on a buying spree of fitness and nutrition tracking apps. Further, the company performance metrics around Weight Watchers have all but fallen off a cliff in the past three years due to what its CEO refers to as “the headwinds of wearable technology.” So welcome digital fitness to the stage. The first question we have is this: Is digital fitness a threat to the commercial fitness industry or an opportunity? The second question is: What should the club operator actually do? Threat or opportunity? To be even handed here, there is an element of threat of substitution. We will acknowledge that. If an element of a trainer's value is accountability by coach, then a tracking app can somewhat substitute that element of value via the airwaves. If the value of a group exercise class includes social accountability, then a digital ecosystem can somewhat substitute that, too, via a leaderboard or social wall of content. If a club's value comprises recording bio measures and providing a sense of progress around health and fitness goals, then a digital ecosystem made up of devices and record keeping can somewhat substitute that as well. However, just as the big box retailers such as Nordstrom and Macy’s embraced e-commerce, the commercial fitness industry also should embrace digital fitness and leverage the two spheres to grow. two + two = five kind of thinking. According to the Endeavor Partners study on wearables in 2014, fitness trackers should do three things: Create habits via cue, routine, reward. Provide social accountability via leaderboards and digital chatter. Reinforce goals via easy-to-view progress reports. All three of these functions speak to member attendance and, therefore, our member retention strategy – the most potent ROI club operator lever of them all. So there is the first nod to wearable technology being an opportunity with our existing business model. Beyond engaging the member in exercise, wearables must then provide insight and meaningful data. That is where personal training comes into play. As per last month’s article from the

Dave Wright ACE survey "How Will Wearable Activity Devices Impact the Fitness Industry" discovered that more than 70 per cent of trainers have a device. 60 per cent who don’t have a device intend to get one soon. Further, these trainers want to incorporate tracking devices into their offerings. They want to deliver more value; they are just not so sure how to apply it. Here are are some tactics that will help both trainers and operators with their existing strategy: What are the tactics that work at the club level? Tactic one: Trainers typically have a client once or twice a week, and they set cardio homework for another two sessions per week. Wearables should be used to keep that client accountable to the adherence of that homework, rewarding the effort, recognising the session and playing the role of reward in the habit loop. A text message from the trainer in the evening saying, “I can see you knocked out an interval cardio session today as planned. Good work! See you tomorrow @ 7am!” is the basis of behaviour modification. We all do more when coach is watching. Tactic two: Trainers should consider moving beyond the 101 measure of steps and use 201 data to enhance their value. An example of 201 data would be heart-rate based data, which is most relevant given trainers are exercise specialists. Heart rate data can be used to show progress with fitness levels, leveraging simple measures, such as resting heart rate, ambient heart rate, delta heart rate and recovery heart rate. These metrics move quickly, unlike body fat that can take time. Further, it speaks directly to both fitness and heart health. Tactic three: Trainers should break goals into the three horizons of long, medium and short term, and should house these horizons in one clean app. The long-term goals should be the

big metrics, such as body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol, that are easily stored in an app. The mediumterm goals should be monthly workload goals, such as sessions completed or minutes performed at given intensity ranges. (For example, not everyone should do interval-based cardio, maybe steady state is on order.) Short-term goals are the hereand-now of a session, which may be a calorie goal or a mode of training. The key is to find an app that collates all that on one platform that both the client and trainer can view simultaneously. Behaviour modification, after all, requires instant recognition of the here and now, and progress toward the greater goal. Tactic four: HIIT or SGT classes, which range between $10-$30 per class, train at high intensity to achieve EPOC, or after burn. That after burn of calories is only achieved if the member trains at high intensity. For that reason, live feedback that is made social in the given class will ensure adherence to the modality. Further, it will reinforce to the client why they are paying a premium for this class over regular group exercise. Attraction and retention of HIIT training. Tactic five: Position a club-wide challenge in March and November, which are perfect times to engage the masses via the carrot of extrinsic reward. Members are starting to drop off the New Year’s resolution in March, and distractions are just around the corner in November. Running a raffle-based challenge where everybody can win a base prize for exceeding a minimum hurdle with a raffle determining the main prize will create a fun run impact at your club. It will engage the masses at a strategic time, just before their wheels fall off. Nice intervention. Wearables are here, and wearables have true value for driving positive behaviour and providing coaching insight. The key for any executive is to fold one of the above tactics into an existing strategy (onboarding, HIIT, personal training or retention) and extract value from their existing bricks and mortar business plan. Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM (Creative Fitness Marketing), CEO and creator of MYZONE®, owner of the Feelgood Fitness & Voyage Fitness Club Chains, a former Board Director of UK Active and founder of the IOU. With offices in Chicago (US), Nottingham (UK) and Melbourne (Oz), Dave’s companies have worked directly with over 5,000 health clubs across 30 different countries, encouraging people to be more and stay more physically active. He may be contacted on Dave@myzone.org

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Pop-up store is a hit for fitness clothing brand By Christina Eccles

A luxury North East spa is celebrating being awarded a five bubble rating, despite only being open for a few months. The multi-million pound Spa at Ramside, at Ramside Hall Hotel near Durham, opened in August, and its facilities have already been recognised with the accolade from The Good Spa Guide. Spa director Jill Russell said: “We’re delighted to have been told by the Good Spa Guide that we’ve achieved five bubbles. It’s very unusual for a spa which has just opened to have achieved this so soon, so it’s a great endorsement for the fantastic facilities we have here.”

Gyms urged to take challenge FITNESS facilities worldwide have been urged to take up the challenge and participate in Technogym’s global Let’s Move for a Better World campaign, taking place for the third year running next March. From March 1 to 19 2016, gym members will challenge each other and join forces to donate their movement in support of promoting wellness and healthy lifestyles in their local community and beyond. Participants’ MOVEs – Technogym’s unit for measuring movement – will be logged through Technogym’s mywellness cloud and the top three most active fitness facilities in each participating country – those which accumulate the highest number of MOVEs – will win the opportunity to help children in the local area get more active by donating Technogymfunded equipment to a school of their choice.

Crow Wood Leisure won this year’s Let’s Move for a Better World campaign. There will also be prizes awarded to the members who give the best contribution to the challenge. In last year’s challenge, Lancashire health club Crow Wood Leisure won the UK national competition, coming top of the rankings against 59 other participants completing an impressive 3,126,802 MOVEs.

A FITNESS clothing brand is achieving success with its London based pop up store, which is allowing staff to meet and engage with customers while also providing free fitness sessions for the local community. Every Second Counts has been established for almost two years and after selling items primarily online, the team decided the next step would be to meet their customers in person – and opening their own temporary shop would be the perfect way to do this. The shop, situated in Notting Hill, is now up and running, showcasing the latest collections, as well as products from partner brands, including an Imbibery London fridge selling healthy juices. Founder Sally Dixon explained: “We were lucky enough to find a pop up space with a clean, bright, airy feel to it so we decided to go with a minimal concept that at the same left no doubt you are in a fitness store. “Customer feedback is really important to us so that we can continue to grow and improve. Alongside this we get to share our story and what we stand for, which is a holistic approach to fitness and health.” The store will be open until early December, with free events also taking place every week including fitness classes and nutritional talks. Sally added: “As an online business, it’s sometimes difficult to give back to our customer and community so it gives us great pleasure to be able to run a series of free community events at our pop up store. “We’ve partnered up with some

Every Second Counts founder Sally Dixon. Photo credit: Appear Here amazing local trainers, nutritionists and health brands to offer a wide range of fitness classes, events and giveaways every week. We wanted to create a space not only for shopping and finding out more about the brand but for having fun and relaxing too. “For our first pop up it’s going really well and it’s especially exciting when customers come in dressed head to toe in Every Second Counts, already familiar with the brand “It’s also proving a great way for us to meet new people within the fitness industry and introduce new customers to the brand. “It’s definitely a challenge for Team ESC – there’s only three of us full time – to run the shop and the business at the same time but we’re loving every second.”

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Put PTs in every Jobcentre and surgery, claim By Christina Eccles

Four Warrington facilities will be given a revamp in time for the New Year.

£1m investment for town’s gyms LIVEWIRE is investing more than £1m to install state-of-the-art equipment into four of its gyms across Warrington. Broomfields Leisure Centre, Birchwood Tennis and Leisure Complex, Woolston Neighbourhood Hub and Culcheth Community Campus will all be given a revamp in time for the New Year, with functional training being placed at the heart of the clubs’ offering. Technogym has been awarded the five-year contract to lease LiveWire the fitness equipment. The company will also provide exer-

cise equipment in the new Great Sankey Neighbourhood Hub, set to open next year as part of a £16m development to revamp the existing leisure centre. Managing director of Technogym, Andrea Bianchi, said: “We are excited to be working with such a forward thinking health and leisure provider. LiveWire’s fantastic facilities promote a healthy lifestyle to so many. “We look forward to supporting these facilities by providing users with our brand new equipment and technology helping promote health and wellness to more people in the UK.”

Matrix joins with Port Vale MATRIX Fitness has partnered with Port Vale Football Club to provide their Vale Park training venue with cardio and strength equipment. The facility, scheduled to be launched in early 2016, will be used by the first team and academy players. Matrix will supply a range of equipment from their 5x series of products, including a treadmill and elliptical trainer, plus IC3 indoor cycles and a functional trainer. Jordan Neville, Port Vale’s commercial manager, said: “As a football club we are always looking to

expand our client database and I'm delighted to announce this new partnership with Matrix.” Head of marketing at Matrix Fitness, Gemma Bonnett, added: “Matrix Fitness is proud to partner with several sporting individuals and teams, and we are pleased to welcome local team, Port Vale Football Club, to ‘Team Matrix’. “By working in collaboration with sporting talent, we aim to inspire and motivate people to participate and achieve their goal; whether that is general fitness, weight loss, or winning competitions.”

PERSONAL trainers should be on hand in every GP surgery and Jobcentre as part of a plan to tackle the UK’s physical inactivity pandemic, a new report has advised. The call comes as part of the first ever joined-up strategy for tackling lack of exercise across society, estimated to cause 37,000 deaths annually and costs the economy £20b. The plan, ukactive’s Blueprint for an Active Britain, urges the Government to take action across the NHS, social services, transport, workplaces and the built environment. It includes contributions from a wide range of leading health experts and charities, including former health minister and surgeon Lord Darzi, the Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal Society for Public Health, the Nuffield Trust, Mind and Age UK. Key recommendations include: Every GP surgery should have access to a trained physical activity professional who can help patients work on their fitness to improve their cardio-respiratory and mental health. The Department for Work and Pensions should pilot a physical activity referral programme for the longterm unemployed to improve their health and get them back to work where possible. Care homes and councils should be required to put in place free or subsidised physical activity sessions for older people. Low-interest loans should be made available to small firms to allow them to invest in physical activity schemes for staff. NHS England should appoint a

Physical Activity Tsar to lead on new policies including ‘exercise on prescription’ for everyone who would benefit from preventative health action. The Government should produce a cross-departmental Physical Activity Strategy led by the Cabinet Office, setting out long-term, ambitious targets and committing significant funding to achieving them. It comes as new polling data of 100 MPS found that the overwhelming majority – 79 per cent – believe physical inactivity should be seen as a major public health priority of comparable importance to obesity. Paralympic champion and chair of ukactive Baroness Tanni GreyThompson, who launched the blueprint at ukactive’s annual summit in London, said: “What we’ve set out, together with a coalition of health experts, is a plan for how we can build physical activity into everybody’s lives. With precious public services like the NHS already stretched to breaking point, we’ve got to be bolder about prevention – and that starts with getting people moving more. “In the same way that you’d see a dietician if you needed expert advice on food or a radiographer if you needed an X-ray, it makes sense for people to be referred to an exercise professional if they need help getting active. “If you’re unemployed you’re less likely to be physically active and more prone to mental health problems and low self-esteem. “Support from an exercise professional could be the key to breaking that cycle and getting people physically and mentally ready to return to the workforce.”

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Major revamp at ex-boxing world champion’s gym Staff at Crow Wood Leisure have enjoyed a fun teambuilding exercise, with a charity twist. A team from the award winning health club in Burnley organised a charity rounders match and tried out a game of bubble football, with staff taking part donating money to a good cause and raising over £50 for Pendleside Hospice.

£3.5m redevelopment for centres FIVE Wandsworth leisure centres have undergone huge redevelopments worth £3.5m, thanks to Wandsworth Council and Places for People Leisure. The five centres, which are part of a new seven-year management contract are Balham, Latchmere, Tooting, Putney and Wandle, with improvements including a full renovation at Balham Leisure Centre and a new changing village and extension to the fitness suite at Battersea’s Latchmere Leisure Centre. Contract marketing manager for Wandsworth Emma Martlow said:

“We are incredibly proud of how much our centres in Wandsworth have come on over the past six months. “It is great to be able to give back to the community of Wandsworth for their support over the years and provide them with a high quality facilities and the latest fitness technology. “These redevelopments continue to demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that local communities have access to centres where they are able to engage in a healthier lifestyle through physical activity.”

FORMER world champion boxer Ricky Hatton’s gym has undergone a radical transformation to upgrade facilities and revamp its interior. Hatton Health and Fitness in Hyde near Manchester has been equipped with over 80 pieces of state-of-the-art equipment, including cardio products from Matrix Fitness’ 7xe range, in a custom matt black finish. The kit list also includes a host of strength equipment from Matrix’ topof-the-range Ultra Series and Magnum benches. The site has also benefited from an interior re-brand courtesy of graffiti artist Eject. Director of key accounts for Matrix Fitness Jo Rich said: “Boxing is an explosive sport, requiring endurance and power, as well as the ability to land a great punch. “Clearly Ricky is a master in his field, and is aware of exactly what it takes to be boxing fit, so we are delighted that he chose to equip his facility with Matrix Fitness equipment, and hope that it inspires his legions of fans to follow in his footsteps.” In addition to the fitness gym, the facility also houses two fitness studios offering over 30 fitness classes per

The new Matrix kit at Hatton Health and Fitness in Hyde. week, including Hatton ABC; Hatton’s accredited boxing for fitness class, and a purpose-built boxing gym on the top floor. Director of Hatton Boxing Jon Eade added: “We are delighted with the outcome of the recent refurbishment. We constantly strive to provide the best possible facilities for our members and the inclusion of the new Matrix equipment has enhanced that. “Matrix Fitness was a very simple choice for us and we are excited about the club’s future. We look forward to having an ongoing relationship with all the team at Matrix with more exciting projects planned for the future.”

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New £15m leisure centre opens its doors in Oldham By Christina Eccles A NEW £15m leisure centre has opened to the local community in Oldham, managed by Oldham Community Leisure. Facilities at Oldham Leisure Centre include a 25m, eight-lane swimming pool of county-level standard, an 80station gym, two dance studios, a bespoke spinning studio, eight court sports hall with seating for over 500 spectators, an indoor bowls arena, café and free car parking. The new centre will also be the second OCL site – after the new Royton Leisure Centre, which opened in September – to feature a unique access-control system to monitor pool usage. Specially developed for OCL by Gladstone, the system collects data via a mounted touch-screen at reception turnstiles, where all-inclusive members simply answer the question “Are you going to swim today?” with a yes/no response. The new centre also has Inclusive Fitness Initiative accreditation, which means it can cater for the needs of disabled and non-disabled people. Oldham Council deputy leader coun Jean Stretton said: “This is a fantastic moment for Oldham as this amazing

Oldham Leisure Centre will be managed by Oldham Community Leisure. facility is a key element in the town’s transformation. “Oldham Leisure Centre will not only serve as a first-class facility for residents and visitors but it will be an important community and social venue – and one that will have the correct specifications to attract major regional and national competitions in some sports. “We made a commitment following the London Olympics that we would

provide facilities that would improve the health and wellbeing of our residents. We also pledged that the new facilities would create local jobs and a large number of residents and local firms have been involved in their construction. “It has been a huge team effort to reach this milestone and I’d like to congratulate all that have been involved in creating this stunning centre.”

A determined spa and leisure manager has taken on an ambitious charity challenge. Oliver Trinder, who works at Farnham Hogs Back Hotel and Spa, completed a sponsored eight hours on a spin bike for Wear it Pink. To raise extra funds, the club also held a coffee morning and cake sale with everyone dressing in pink; in total raising £831.

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The Vean at Caerhays will host its first Yoga residential weekend next year, taking place at the luxurious Georgian retreat in April. Cornish Yoga teacher Jenny Dufton will lead the weekend and offer guests the chance to unwind and relax in the peaceful setting of the estate. The retreat will include daily yoga and meditation classes, specially designed nutritious menus and the chance to explore the tranquil Caerhays Gardens. Marketing manager at Caerhays Estate, Lucinda Rimmington, said: “We all lead such busy lives that sometimes a weekend of pure relaxation away from technology does us all the world of good. For those looking for a nurturing, tranquil yoga retreat on the breath-taking Cornish coast, The Vean really is the place for you.”

Trust makes major membership gains after project with retention expert By Christina Eccles LEISURE trust Active Stirling has made massive membership gains thanks to a project with industry retention expert Dr. Paul Bedford. The leisure trust signed up to his 6x6 retention project, which saw its team engage in six one-day business growth training sessions across a six month period, to really understand their existing member journey and then create a new one with quality service, member retention and operational excellence at its forefront. Active Stirling’s head of health and wellbeing Matthew Bunnell explained: “Previously we had been stagnating – fighting the same health and fitness battle that every health club, leisure centre or gym seems to have. “Paul helped us to see that, because of our unique operating model as a non profit distributing leisure trust and our wide range of services and activities, we could target a different market share; one that other clubs can’t or don’t want to capture.” The trust manages the £27.3m Stirling Sports Village, which boasts a number of outdoor facilities, as well as the indoor centre, The Peak, offering a nine-court sports hall, two swimming pools, sauna/steam, three fitness studios, a 100-station gym, a climbing wall and a curling/ice skating rink. The Village is also home to the Forthbank performance sport centre which has a strength and conditioning suite for performance athletes/teams, plus conference facilities.

Matthew added: “We had more than 20 different membership packages including single activities, bolt ons and concessions and consolidated these to just four memberships that include access to all activities. It meant everyone from the CEO to the cleaner could understand and explain them to our customers.” The biggest difference has been the rise in memberships – from 3,000 to 5,500 in just four months, with 25 - 30 still signing up each day and significantly less leaving, meaning the trust is adding between 400-500 net members each month. “Paul has helped us to achieve this business growth just by changing our focus and our membership packages. We believe our group membership is truly unique. For just £79 a month it allows four people to join together on one membership. It can be any mix of people as long as there is one adult that takes on the direct debit. “This has definitely helped with retention as it adds to the social environment. People don’t leave because they all come together. The more links you have the more likely you are to stay. Since launching the brand new membership in April we have a staggering 3,000 people signed up to this package and, whilst it’s still early days, less than 10 per cent of all cancellations are from group members. “Paul has really opened our minds to a lot of things, not least the need to focus on members above all else. “We are now not afraid to prioritise, to look at who we market to differently, to focus on our member journey and to realise our true and full potential as a leisure trust.”

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A spectacular growth on social media played a major part in a very successful opening year for a new Scottish gym – and this is just the beginning. Andrew Harrod paid a visit.

Velocity gym at the Village Hotel in Edinburgh has 2,700 members – 400 ahead of target – and is poised to break through the 3,000 barrier before its first anniversary.

Social media plays a key role in gym’s successful first year FROM a standing start, Velocity gym at the Village Hotel in Edinburgh has amassed more than 16,000 likes on Facebook and the management team have capitalised on this to keep its membership engaged. They use the free tool to promote offers and discounts for the gym, helping it smash its first year membership target. It now has 2,700 members – 400 ahead of target – and is poised to break through the 3,000 barrier before its first anniversary on December 29. It was vital the club was ready for the new year rush and the team worked throughout the festive period to ensure it happened. Competition is stiff in Edinburgh. Across the road is a council-run centre which boasts a pool and fitness classes as well as a well-equipped gym floor. Just behind the hotel is an independent club that has been in business for more than two decades. Not far away are two premium David Lloyd clubs, two Virgin clubs, a Pure gym and countless other independents and budget operators. To keep up with the intense compe-

Velocity gym at the Village Hotel in Edinburgh has used Facebook to promote offers and discounts for the gym. tition, fitness instructor Huw Davis says everyone who works there is proud of the club and determined to keep everything in tip-top condition. He explained: "We try to keep the club feeling a bit more 'premium' so we keep it spotless and make sure everything is working. “Then we apply brilliant hospitality and service to welcome the guests, ask how they are getting on and if

there is anything we can do to help.” The initial focus of recruiting new members is now being moved to retaining existing ones. A series of open weekends to encourage members to bring friends so they can try out the facilities is planned in the near future. They are also working on a range of extra benefits, taking advantage of the on-site restaurant and bar, Starbucks

coffee shop and any events the hotel hosts to add value to membership. But what matters to most members is results and the gym has invested in assembling a very knowledgable, hand-picked team that is 40-strong. Huw added: “We have an amazing team of very highly skilled and qualified trainers, two of which are Les Mills master trainers. “The whole team deliver the best service they can. This is the biggest draw to the club that makes a difference. “Our kit is new but people come here because they have heard we are a friendly, fun club and we help people get what they are looking for. “We have started taking members on our Real Results journey which includes sessions with trainers, nutrition advice and tasters in various classes they might not ordinarily try and we will continue to grow this more. As well as interacting with members while they are here, we are now communicating through regular emails and newsletters and will be holding member forum feedback nights to see what we can offer to make the club work for them.”

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More than £63,000 is raised by operator The new MyGym facility in Retford.

Former pub becomes a gym

Premier Training International has appointed Suzy Gunn as operations director, Premier Global. As part of her new role, Suzy will be directly responsible for Premier Training’s product delivery. Additional appointments see Nick Harding join the team as financial director, while Belinda Moore will take on the role of commercial director.

A FORMER pub in Retford has been transformed into MyGym – a 4,000 sqft health and fitness facility in the town’s Bridgegate Centre. Following increasing demand for centrally-located gym facilities, Murtagh Mulholland – a fitness professional with over 20 years’ experience – has redeveloped the property, which had been empty for two years. He said: “Retford saw many empty premises during the recession and the Bridgegate area was no exception. “Over the past year, there have been a number of new enterprises opening in the area, and with the health sector continuing to expand, I could see that the MyGym concept of a high-end facility, at an afford-

able price, would complement the existing fitness offering perfectly.” The new gym is equipped with Matrix Fitness products and the site also boasts a functional rig, which can be used by people of all ages and abilities, including those with mobility issues. To keep members motivated, they have access to the fitness app ‘membr’, enabling them to track their workout, book classes, and even create and update a personalised exercise plan in conjunction with MyGym’s specialist team. He added: “The reason I chose Matrix, is after researching the market and working in the industry for nearly 20 years, the Matrix brand, promise, and desire to get the right equipment for my specific requirements was second to none.”

OPERATOR Everyone Active has hosted a successful charity awareness month, raising a massive total of over £63,000 for Anthony Nolan. Throughout September, customers at all 117 Everyone Active centres nationwide were inspired to get active and donate. As part of the initiative, Everyone Active ran nationwide challenges through the month for members, guests and colleagues. Activities included a Swim Around The World challenge, a Triathlon and group exercise challenges such as zumbathons and spinathons. Centres also raised money with raffles, cake bakes, book sales and other fun family activities. The individual site which raised the most money nationally was Watford Leisure Centre Woodside, which raised a total of £3582.71. Senior corporate partnerships manager at Anthony Nolan, Laura Parsell, said: “We can’t thank all the staff and members of Everyone Active enough for their amazing efforts and enthusiasm, they really are fundraising superstars. To have raised £63,000 in such a short time is just incredible.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Lifespan of a personal trainer By Mark Laws, Jordan Fitness IN November I was lucky enough to be invited to present at a conference in Dubai. One of the topics I discussed was the ‘lifespan of a personal trainer’. Having written about this topic before I was keen to get my teeth stuck into it for a full hour long talk. As Dubai has a very diverse population I spent some time researching the lifespan of personal trainers around the world. Having found data from Australia, America, UK and the Middle East there was an extremely common theme globally throughout the industry. The statistics were all very similar that 80-90 per cent of ALL personal trainers leave the industry within 12/18 months. This is a scary statistic, but what I am most interested in, is why so many PTs leave the industry? Only they can answer that question but I have a few theories. The main reason has to be that they didn’t earn enough money. They didn’t earn enough money because they didn’t have enough clients. They didn’t have enough clients because they either didn’t get results or they weren’t appealing enough to potential customers. If you are about to embark on a career in the fitness industry or you are within your first 12/18 months then here are some really useful tips that I wish I had got (If you are beyond the 12/18 month mark then still read on as you can never be too

good at the basics!)… 1. Education – I have travelled every corner of the UK and to many different countries to attend courses. I have attended multiple courses with different instructors in the same discipline. Despite teaching at least 100 days per year I still attend at least 20 days of educational courses as a student. Yet trying to persuade a personal trainer to attend a course seems to be difficult these days. Don’t be complacent and never ever stop learning. 2. Job role – An ‘instructor’ shows people how to do things. A ‘trainer’ puts people through their paces. However a ‘coach’ works on things like imbalances, they screen clients and treat them all as individuals, they gradually progress the client towards their goals but constantly educate the client as to what they are doing and why they are doing it. The world needs instructors and trainers which is lucky because there are millions of them…but a good coach is hard to find and is more likely to survive longer. 3. Mindset – Getting your clients to do thousands of burpees might seem like fun. They might even benefit from it in the short term. However any chance of long term success is all achieved in the mind. Before even beginning to get started on the physical side you need to ensure the client is mentally prepared for what is about to come. Their bad habits have contributed to them not being happy with the way they look/feel/perform... so in order to get results things are going to have to change. Are they pre-

Mark Laws pared for that? If they aren’t then you need to make sure they are or the physical results won’t happen. 4. Image – Sadly these days if you have a six pack, 10,000 fake Instagram followers and a discount code for a protein company then that’s enough to influence a lot of people to part with their money. In reality those things don’t make you a good coach. You do NOT need to have chiselled abs and arms bigger than your legs. But on the flipside you need to be well presented, wear clean and tidy clothes and conduct yourself in a good manner even when you think nobody is watching, because somebody always is. You are your own walking billboard. Whatever type of training you do will attract the interest of people wanting to look a similar way. Of course it is as possible for someone with a beer belly to be an exceptional coach as it is for someone

with a six pack to be a terrible coach. But it’s a fickle image driven industry and as long as you are well presented and look like you can take care of yourself then clients will notice that. 5. Biomechanics – very simple, if you do not have a good understanding of biomechanics then get on. If you have a decent understanding of biomechanics then get an even better one. You can NEVER know enough about how the human body moves. This is not something you learn from a YouTube video or a one day workshop – it’s a lifetime of consistent learning. 6. Professionalism – I already touched on the ‘walking billboard’ point. It is important to realise that people will decide what they think of you within the first seven seconds of seeing/meeting you. Once a bad opinion is formed it is difficult to turn around, so be professional at all times because everyone is a potential customer. No texting while with clients. Don’t neglect your clients during sessions. Don’t be late. Don’t try to leave early. Don’t be hungover. I could go on but you get the message. This is not an exhaustive list. There are many more areas but these six are the main areas that I believe will really begin to set you apart from all the other ‘average’ trainers and turn you into an ‘elite’ coach. If you wish to expand your knowledge in any of these areas then email me on mark.laws@jordanfitness.co.uk as we have introduced a number of new courses which would be extremely beneficial.

Knowing your client is key to success, claims entrepreneur KNOWING who your client is and using the language and messages which will best relate to them are major keys when it comes to marketing success, according to a leading fitness entrepreneur. Star of The Apprentice Katie Bulmer-Cooke was among the panellists at the recent ukactive Summit, taking place at the Emirates Stadium in London. The panel; Growing Your Message – social marketing and activity in the 21st century included top tips for fitness businesses on how they can best market their clubs and services, tapping into social media and other

trends to grow their audience. Katie told delegates that social media has been the “biggest game changer” in her business and revealed the lessons she’s learned over the years when it comes to boosting her brand. She explained: “My biggest mistake was that I tried to be everything to everybody. The lesson with social media was that is gives businesses a chance to be really specific about who to target. I can find my customers in exactly the place I want to find them.” Katie also cited the recent This Girl Can campaign as a good example of

marketing to a specific audience and explained to listeners that when it comes marketing, keeping it personal and relatable has proved successful for her. She added: “Use marketing that people can relate to, whether that’s a message or a role model – This Girl Can is a perfect example. In my business, that’s been a big key to success. People have been able to identify with me and my values. “Get to know what your customer is concerned about. When you can understand the things that cause them the most pain, you can make your marketing a lot more targeted.”

Other questions posed during the debate included asking the panel for advice on how to commercialise your cause and not be afraid to charge for your services as an expert. Katie added: “As long as you’re delivering great quality content and good service, you should never feel bad about charging for that. “I’m a firm believer that you have to give to receive. Give your potential customer some good content, which they perceive as valuable. Give them something valuable, demonstrate that you are the expert and they will become a paying customer.”

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GROUP FITNESS

Dance classes aim to get disabled people active A DANCE instructor is trying to get disabled people more active and confident by offering them dance fitness classes. Trisha Langford decided she wanted to provide her local community with these classes after realising there wasn’t anywhere locally that the disabled could go for a work out. As well as keeping fit the class gives participants the chance to socialise and make friends with people who have similar conditions. Trisha said: “There isn’t that much around for people with learning difficulties and disabilities, I noticed that quite a lot of disabled people are over weight and I knew that the class would get them moving and they’d enjoy it.”

The classes are mostly freestyle dance incorporated with basic Latin steps but Trisha is able to choreograph more complex routines for the more able bodied participants. She added: “I do really enjoy it and the people that I’m providing the service for really enjoy it and it helps them a lot, and that’s what makes me quite proud.” Trisha has adopted siblings who have Down’s Syndrome that attend a Zumba class at a nearby gym, she wanted to provide other disabled people with similar opportunities. She added: “It’s nice to see the enjoyment in their faces, I’m proud of the people that come and the progression that they’ve made in the sessions.”

Small group training concept proves a hit Cambridge based trainer Michael Trott has been crowned ‘The One’ in Les Mills’ global search for the world’s best group exercise instructor. At the recent One Live event in Stockholm – hosted by Les Mills and Reebok – a group of finalists from Shanghai to Paris to Amsterdam competed to impress the judges, with Michael, who teaches at Nuffield Health Cambridge Fitness and Wellbeing Gym, walking away with the title. Head trainer for Les Mills UK Dave Kyle said. “It’s awesome to see one of our instructors win this award. He embodies all our Les Mills values and is a walking example and role model of what a great instructor should be.” Next for Michael is a trip to New Zealand to take part in the January 2016 master class filming. He will also receive a 12-month Reebok contract.

Operator brings concept to its sites VIRGIN Active has partnered with Clubbercise to bring the concept into its clubs. The classes, which Virgin Active are calling Pulse powered by Clubbercise, launched at Virgin Active’s Aldersgate club in London, with special guest DJ Zoe Hardman and well-known fitness presenter Jo Cooper. National group exercise manager at Virgin Active UK, Gillian Reeves, said:

“We’re really excited to be introducing our new dance fitness class Pulse powered by Clubbercise, which feels more like a night out than a workout. “This is a great addition to our timetables that allows members to let their hair down and have fun whilst getting fit. At Virgin Active, we’re always looking for ways to innovate and expand our offering, helping people discover new ways to exercise.”

A SMALL group training concept from Physical Company is proving a hit with members at Freedom Leisure sites. Freedom Leisure is running two of the six available APEX gym floor sessions across 13 sites, with more centres coming on board with the concept each month. The structure of the programming, with its variety and versatility, has been key to its success, according to Freedom Leisure group fitness and wellbeing manager Richard Merrick. He said: “Gym floor training is not a new concept but the way Physical Company has developed the APEX series, its attention to detail and genuinely innovative exercises and programme combinations give it the edge. “I’m genuinely pleased with this and can see it will have a place in our long-term future plans here at

Freedom Leisure.” APEX is a series of six, 30-minute programmes designed to revitalise the gym floor and reignite members’ interest. The sessions are designed to be delivered by gym instructors and personal trainers ensuring a high level of interaction with groups of up to 12 members. Clubs and gyms can choose as many of the programmes as they wish to suit their demographic. Richard added: “APEX is the perfect combination of bespoke programming that you can buy ‘off the peg’ and this makes it affordable and adaptable for us. “I like the fact there is some uniformity across the group, yet the programming is versatile enough to be changed to suit our members, the space available and the kit we have to hand.”

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Advertiser’s announcement

Learn how to perfect your cycling prescription DOCTOR’S prescriptions work. They provide people with a clear direction and compel them to take action. A clear exercise prescription can do just the same – and if you get it right it will really benefit your cycle studio success. The quality of prescription at your point of sale is a critical component for the success of your cycling classes. When your membership team effectively prescribes cycling to new members, your attendance goes up very quickly. You need to provide your membership team with two things to lift your game. 1) A clear definition of your programs. Here is an example of information that Les Mills partners receive: RPM™ is an indoor cycling class, set to the rhythm of motivating music. The journey will take you through some flats, climbs and downhills allowing for a very solid cardio and leg workout. The instructor and the music will help you achieve much more than training by yourself RPM is a great class for almost

everyone. It comes in 30, 45 and 60 min formats and you control the intensity by playing with the resistance and pace. We offer RPM VIRTUAL classes when there is no live one on. Many new members like starting group training this way so they get a feel before heading into a live class. LES MILLS SPRINT™ is a 30minute workout built on the science of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). It is designed to give maximum results to those already exercising regularly or looking for timeeffective workouts. You will work harder than you ever did but research shows it is worth it! Replacing one hour of your usual workouts with two 30-minute HIIT classes a week will get you fitter and leaner faster. 2) Clarity on when and how through the sales process they should prescribe cycling. Best practise is to kick off your sales process with a basic needs analysis on new members before framing their prescription. For example: 1. Explain the generic guidelines for health when it comes to exer-

cise. ‘Ideally, you want to exercise three to five times a week for a minimum of 30-minutes at a moderate to high intensity. Mix three training components– cardiovascular, strength conditioning and flexibility.’ Cycling is a perfect one to start with. It provides you with a great cardio and leg workout, but it’s easy on your joints and doesn’t require coordination. 2. Provide a specific recommendation based on their needs analysis. ‘We can make it easy. We have plenty of highly motivating and effective classes. Factoring in your specific goals and availability, I recommend a 45-min RPM on Monday at 12.15 p.m. because ……+ BODYPUMP™ on Wednesday at 12.15 pm because...+ a second RPM on Friday at 4.30 pm followed with 15 minutes of mobility/flexibility work on the gym floor… 3. Ensure new exercisers know how to gradually build up the frequency, length and intensity of their workouts towards the prescribed plan over the first six weeks. For more information,visit http://www.lesmills.com/knowl-

edge/smart-start/ 4. Educate them on what to do next – introducing High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts ‘When you start feeling comfortable doing these classes, don’t add more classes but introduce more intensity once or twice a week. Replace your Friday 45-min RPM with a LES MILLS SPRINT class - It only goes for 30 minutes but you will work hard, which will lead to greater results. Michael Blick of Aqua Loft Fitness Club France says a dedicated focus on cycling grew their indoor cycling classes from 10 bikes to 40 bikes in a few years. “A part of the growth came from focusing more on cycling, allocating to it a dedicated room, investing in a great sound system, lighting, studio design and the training of our coaches. “But I truly believe our real strength is in the systematic prescription of cycling to all our new and existing members.” “Our coaches make sure new members are properly supported and manage the workout intensity as they should.”

Discuss these insights and more at a Les Mills Insight Series Seminar. Secure your free space now by searching for Les Mills UK at www.eventbrite.co.uk or for more information contact LMUK.BusDev@lesmills.com

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New studio to boost offering AN investment in new studio facilities has further enhanced the group exercise offering at an award winning Lancashire gym. Ribby Hall Village Health Club’s latest £250,000 investment has resulted in the addition of two more fitness studios, bringing the club’s total number to four. Each state-of-the-art studio has a core use, with the flexibility to be adapted for another purpose should demand arise. The spaces include a 60 capacity studio for the most in-demand classes; a 35-station Spinning studio and a dedicated studio for pole fitness, core and ballet classes, which also doubles as a creche in the mornings. A new mind and body studio dedicated to aerial workouts is also allowing the club to tap into the trend for aerial fitness. It has underfloor heating, remote controlled shutters, adaptive air conditioning system, a sophisticated LED lighting system and even an industrial fragrance diffuser to ensure the ambience is perfect for any kind of class. Club manager James Mitchell said: “We always strive to be better than other clubs and facilities. However, we really pride ourselves on our staff and service. Almost all of our developments come from member feedback and suggestions. “We are genuinely a club that is run for our members – with the added benefit of true five-star service.”

The team from Burnley Leisure Trust at the 2014 National Fitness Awards where they won the award for Gym Team of the Year.

MOSSA classes attract new members to Trust’s centres By Christina Eccles

BURNLEY Leisure Trust’s MOSSA classes have been proving successful in attracting a new audience through the doors of its facilities – including more men keen to try group exercise. The trust had previously offered members alternative pre-choreographed classes for 10 years, before switching to MOSSA in 2013. Since making the changes, it has found MOSSA has taken its clubs in a different direction; one particular advantage has been the dramatic increase in male participation since

introducing MOSSA Group Power, Group Fight and Group Centergy. Health and fitness manager Elaine Adams-Gilligan said: “We went with MOSSA nearly three years ago. I was blown away by the quality of the product. It’s very user-friendly. “Since MOSSA, our male participation has increased drastically. I think it’s because the choreography is easier to adopt. The workouts are physically hard but the routines are quite easy to learn. The customers get it quickly.” According to Elaine, integral to the success of MOSSA at Burnley Leisure is the continuous variety in the work-

outs, which keeps members – and instructors – interested and excited. She added: “The last three years we haven’t known what was going to come next with MOSSA – we’ve had reps, sets, bodyweight, plyometrics, pyramid ... it follows the current trends. “For example, there is twisting work in the new release. That’s never been done before. There are lots of firsts. In fact, there’s a first in every single new release. “We teach 90 classes a week and we never, ever fail to deliver. We are hitting our targets every single month.”

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Rise in mind and body fitness predicted ahead of new year By Louie Fecou I WAS surprised to read a report from the US that Pilates and Yoga classes were on the downturn. In high fashion boutique fitness salons, the expensive specialist sessions have seen a decrease in revenue, leading sadly to the closure of some studios. However, the context of the situation is what we should be looking at in the UK. With bespoke boutiques in the heart of New York and LA, it's fair to assume that the running costs and staffing of these enterprises is above average. This leads to an increase in the price of sessions for the customer. In such prestigious environments, a single class could be anywhere between 20 and 30 dollars. A high price for a session, and although admittedly the class may merit the admission fee, it's a lot of dollar if you want to attend three classes a week. In the nineties, we had Madonna and Gwyneth openly talking of their love of Classical Pilates and Yoga. Cue full booking lists at the studio. However times move on, the competition is fiercer and the fitness menu has been hugely extended. As customers look towards other sessions and the onslaught of budget

Louie Fecou gyms increases, something's got to give. However, we in the UK are a different kettle of clients. We are now finally seeing the benefits of Pilates and Yoga as essential supplements to our fitness routines. The styles of Yoga that are now available are far greater than what we had 10 years ago. Yoga has slowly reinvented itself and is now a part of many clued up gyms

across the country. Classical Pilates has seen a revival, as fitness savvy clients realise that without good core, you really can't excel at your other fitness disciplines. I predict a definite rise in the area of mind and body fitness as we approach the new year. With HIIT sessions firmly planted in the schedule, it would appear that there has to be something else to counter point that type of training. The problem of course is finding properly qualified instructors to fill the void. Unlike many other format sessions, you cannot pop off for the weekend and return on Monday as a Yoga instructor. These courses are often ongoing and require a great deal of commitment from the pupil. So to get ahead of the game, start looking for instructors now and prepare a Yoga or Pilates launch for the new year. Bear in mind that instructors will also limit their class numbers to provide the adequate tuition to class members, so be prepared to meet demand, and the demand will be there, or I’ll eat my Yoga mat. Louie Fecou is the creator of Cardio40 and Retrobics. For more information visit www.thestudiofitness.co.uk

Trampoline park’s new classes are unveiled LONDON’S first trampoline park, Oxygen Freejumping, has launched a new range of fitness classes. The club in Acton can now offer Airborne, which takes place on the main park, and Oxygen Rebound, which will be taught in the venue’s dedicated studio. Both classes are taught to music and last 45-60 minutes, accommodating 12-15 people in each high intensity session. Oxygen Freejumping founder David Stalker said: “We’re incredibly excited to be launching our fitness classes at Oxygen Freejumping. “Our fitness experts have developed classes which include moves to enable exercisers to vary the amount of force they exert on the trampolines and this means that they can be adapted for all ages and abilities. “The support we’ve received in the local community since the park opened has been incredibly overwhelming and we look forward to helping to continue our work to help get the local community fit through enjoyable, affordable work outs.”

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PT links circuit training and football for class

Burlexercise allows new mums to confidently get back into exercise LIKE many new mums, Sophie was feeling insecure about her ‘new body.’ It was a different body from the one she’d known and she was keen to get back to her pre-baby weight. A fun, friendly group fitness class was the most appealing option and she asked Burlexercise for some help. Following a programme of one Burlexercise 60 minute class per week, two Burlexercise 30 minute top up home sessions, keeping a food diary and listening to some important nutritional advice, has led to some impressive results. Sophie said: “My favourite thing about Burlexercise is that I smile all the way through the class, not something that I usually find myself doing

during exercise. “I’ve been attending for a few months now and I feel much fitter than in previous weeks. “I am much better at the cardio section and I now join in with the ab workout too in the resistance section, which has been a particular goal of mine.” Attending the group fitness classes with Burlexercise has meant that in just three months, Sophie has lost over a stone and dropped two dress sizes, going from a size 14 to a size 10. She added: “I love it! There’s still a bit more work to do to reach my goal, but because it’s fun it’s not a chore.” For more information visit www.burlexercise.co.uk

A PERSONAL trainer is breaking the mould when it comes to group exercise, by incorporating football and circuit training into a unique class. FitBallerz is suitable for any age and fitness type; allowing participants to work out and have fun with a competitive element to beat their score every week. Founder and personal trainer Darren Davies said: “I personally can’t see why anyone hasn’t done it before. It’s circuits with football at the centre of it.” The idea for Fitballerz came when Darren saw football teams lacking in funds. The class gives football clubs the opportunity to create a regular income stream by harnessing the passion of football and fitness as an alternative to raffles and tombolas. Darren added: “The first and fore-

most thing of it was I could see football clubs struggling with costs, so I thought what about if you provide people with something for their money.” Participants range from teenagers to pensioners, and unlike football, the group is mainly women. Darren’s class is taken at Oxford City football ground, giving parents the chance to get a workout whilst their children are at football training. And because of the location there is already a niche market of Oxford City FC fans. The class is available for gyms to roll out on their exercise timetables, with the workouts being changed every three months to keep it fresh. Darren added: “With football you already have the community element so if you can tap into that, the potential will be huge.”

BMF expands its model indoors BRITISH Military Fitness has expanded its training model indoors for winter to encourage more people to keep fit all year round. To counteract the limitations of darker evenings, BMF will run indoor classes at seven locations across the UK in addition to its existing outdoor venues until the clocks go forward again. Managing director Harry Sowerby said: “The indoor winter classes

have been a great success in the past, providing an alternative for those who do not want to exercise outside during the darker evenings. “While our outdoor classes will continue throughout winter, our indoor timetable will offer more variety for all our members, and ensure that people can continue to maintain their exercise regimes and feel motivated, even when it’s cold and wet outside.”

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Operator first to receive Eat Out Eat Well accolade for its cafes EVERYONE Active has become the first leisure operator to receive the Eat Out Eat Well accreditation across all of its café production sites. The aim of the award is to increase accessibility to tasty food, which has been prepared in a healthy way using good food hygiene practices, and served in a healthy environment. Two Everyone Active sites were awarded the gold award, 24 sites were awarded the silver award and three were awarded bronze – as they are only able to offer a small menu. Managers of all silver award sites will be taking a nutrition course and

once completed their site will receive a gold award. Everyone Active managing director David Bibby said: “A massive congratulations to all the catering team at Everyone Active for this fantastic achievement. “We believe in a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, which not only includes being active but eating a healthy, balanced diet. “We are happy that our catering facilities at Everyone Active centres can offer people a wide range of healthy eating options to choose from.”

Adam Pepper, owner, Hello Goodness Waterloo; Stephen Smith; Liam Smith; Paul Smith; Callum Smith and Gary Conway, managing director, Hello Goodness.

Boxing brothers launch healthy eating brand FOUR champion boxing brothers are launching a new healthy eating brand on Merseyside. Hello Goodness is a juice bar and grill with the first franchise in Waterloo being owned by former Liverpool FC Academy star Adam Pepper. A new outlet on South Road has now been opened by the Smith brothers, including Callum Smith, who has recently been crowned British super-

middleweight champion. Managing director at Hello Goodness, Gary Conway, said: “We’re thrilled the champion Smith brothers are launching Hello Goodness. “They’re a great example of what can be achieved if you look after yourself by keeping fit and eating healthily.” More Hello Goodness outlets are scheduled to open in Merseyside in the coming months.

Warrior Rage is one of the most powerful, effective, and results driven pre-workouts on the market. A huge 45 power-packed serving in every little atomic blast of a tub. Plus new flavours added and superb power and potency. Fantastic margin available for trade. Contact for pricing at Trade@ BodybuildingWarehouse.co.uk or call 0161 236 1588.

GSN ostrich kebabs recipe THIS recipe was submitted by Dr Emma Kirke. To stay up to date with her amazing recipes, check out @DrEKirkeOstm on Twitter, www.medicinalkitchen.wordpress.co. uk and search the hashtag #medicinalKitchen on Instagram. Ingredients: Ostrich steak – one (for two kebabs, use more if needed). Onion pieces – to suit. Pepper pieces – to suit (mixed colours). Large tomatoes – to suit. Garlic powder – a sprinkle. Coconut oil – enough to coat your pan. Instructions: Melt your coconut oil in your griddle pan and put your largely chopped veg in. Sprinkle with garlic powder. As they brown, turn them over with your tongs so both sides are cooked. When they’re cooked place them to one side and add your ostrich steaks to the griddle pan. Add some spice and flavourings if you wish. The ostrich steaks are partially cooked, so they don’t take very long.

Dr Zak’s has launched a new high protein product to the industry. With flavours including white chocolate and coconut and salted caramel, the new peanut spreads are also free from palm oil and artificial sweeteners and Vegetarian Society approved. The brand was founded by Zak Pallikaros, a highly acclaimed bodybuilder and nutritional expert, with a degree in Medicinal Chemistry, Bio Technology and Bio Chemistry and a Doctorate from the Royal Free Medical School.

iPro Sport teams up with Teamer ISOTONIC sports drink iPro Sport has linked up with leading online sports communications platform, Teamer. Teamer offers digital access to a vast demographic of sports bringing together adult players, coaches, referees and parents across a variety of sports from grassroots backgrounds. Focusing initially on a football campaign, iPro Sport will be promoted via Teamer’s website, app, team invitations and email newsletters, which reach out to over 100,000 active footballers. Marketing director at iPro Sport Lisa Marraffa said: “iPro Sport has made a number of inroads with clubs within

the sports sector but our link up with Teamer allows us to inform grassroots players of our hydration message. “Rehydration is key when it comes to physical exercise in any form, so we are looking forward to supporting the participants of Teamer.”

Bars come in four flavours Cut the steak in half, and then into three pieces each half. If you like your steak more well done this also gives an opportunity to see how well it’s cooked through. Add the meat and veg onto your skewer in even patterns to create a fabulously easy and impressive meal. Serve with your choice of sides or a dip if you choose. Lime and garlic yogurt goes fantastically with this lean, rich meat. If you would like to have a meal of yours featured on our blog please email an ingredients list, method and some photos taken throughout the process of making it to mike@goldstandardnutrition.co.uk To shop the GSN range visit www.goldstandardnutrition.co.uk/shop/

A REVOLUTION at QNT: the Record Bar, a hyper-protein bar derived from Whey Protein with a high fibre content, it also has the advantage of being extremely low in sugars and fat. The bars are not coated with chocolate, thus allowing athletes to carry them anywhere regardless of the outside temperature. Its protein content helps to build and maintain your muscle mass without adding too much sugar. An ideal, balanced snack that you can eat several times a day and also after training. It comes in a 60g packaging with an intake of 18g of pure protein and is available in four delicious flavours that will transport you into the world of food delicacies: Chocolate Brownie, Vanilla Cookies, Strawberry Cheesecake and Italian Tiramisu. For more information contact us at enquiries@qntuk.com; call us on 01638 662589 or visit our webshop at www.qntuk.com

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Company launches luxurious yoga and wellness breaks A group from Crow Wood Leisure in Burnley did their bit for charity by hosting an event for Children in Need. The club held a big step and tone class in its tennis hall for members, which involved a step routine, toning exercises with weights and team exercises and games. The event raised £350.

Record numbers for annual event A TEAM from Epsom and Ewell beat more than 750 over 55-year-olds to win the 2015 Better Club Games; an Olympic style event for older people held at the Copper Box Arena. The annual event was run by the UK’s largest public leisure provider Better, the consumer facing brand of charitable social enterprise GLL. It was hosted for the second time at the former 2012 Olympic venue on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford and attracted over 100 more entrants than in 2014. The event aims to encourage older people to become more active and to highlight the social and physical benefits that sporting activities can offer to individuals of all ages. Participants took part in nine sports

including walking football, badminton and table tennis, representing their boroughs in 19 teams. The winning team reclaimed their title – last won in 2013 – from last year’s winners Greenwich who were pushed into the silver medal position. Team Lambeth secured third place. Managing director at GLL Mark Sesnan opened the event, while Holby City actress Catherine Russell – a better member from Lambeth – presented winners with their awards. Mark said: “As GLL is the UK’s leading charitable leisure social enterprise we are proud to run the Better Games to celebrate the benefits of physical activity and active lifestyles across all our UK partnerships –whatever your age.”

A NEW company delivering luxurious wellness breaks is launching in the New Year, after its founder spotted a gap in the market to bring this type of event to the North of England. Throughout 2016, The Well Connected will bring fitness and wellness to venues including Brimstone Hotel in the Lake District. Events will include a fitness break with celebrity personal trainer Olivia Cooney and a yoga retreat with instructor Charlie Morgan. The Well Connected has been created by Nici Hewitson, who during a decade working in television in London, got a taste for all things wellness but on returning to her roots in the Lake District, felt increasingly frustrated at the lack of offering north of the capital. She said: “The Well Connected is a labour of love really. There are few places more restful and inspiring than the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Northumbrian coast and these are just a few of the jewels in the crown of the North. “We want to be a part of innovations and trends as they are happening, not five years later, and this is what The Well Connected will change; we are bringing wellness beyond the capital, in a luxurious, contemporary way.”

The Well Connected creator Nici Hewitson.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Company stands by the quality of its products WOLVERSON Fitness are very proud of the work they do and stand by the quality of all their products. Whether it’s one of the great barbells or bumpers in their Bison Range, or any of the rigs, racks, kettlebells or kit that bears the Wolverson brand, you know you're buying top quality equipment from an experienced and caring company – where others leave their kit bare, they proudly stamp our name. Now, they’re pleased to announce that Bison® and Wolverson® are now officially registered European trademarks. Wolverson Fitness CEO Jason McCarthy said: “We're always looking

for ways to expand and improve our range of equipment and services to offer our customers the best possible products. “After many years developing the quality and value of the Bison and Wolverson range, a registered trademark lets our customers know they're dealing with a trusted brand, and to accept no imitations.” It’s taken a lot of hard work to get here and Wolverson would like to thank their customers, friends and supporters for helping make Wolverson Fitness the trusted and respected brand it is today. For more information visit www.wolverson-fitness.co.uk

Floor specialist expands into a younger market TVS Sports Surfaces, a leading provider of flooring systems for adult sporting and leisure facilities, has launched a new range of flooring products and accessories for children’s outdoor play environments. As exclusive distributors of SPORTEC products in the UK and Ireland, TVS Sports Surfaces has amassed a wealth of knowledge working with prestigious clients such as Chelsea FC, The Reebok Club in London, Anytime Fitness, Derby FC and England RFU. With this experience and an acute awareness of concerns surrounding children’s increasing inactivity, the company is set to create safe, fun and more engaging areas for children to

explore which also minimises the risk of injuries. The EUROFLEX range features impact protection tiles tested for critical fall heights in accordance with DIN EN 1177:2008 guaranteeing the highest standards of safety. The alphabet and numbered tiles allow for creative floor patterns and the products are available in a range of attractive colours and stimulating textures. In addition to high quality products, TVS Sports Surfaces offers creative floor designs, professional installation, line marking services, customisable wall and floor graphics for indoor areas and expert consultancy. For more information call 01706 260 220 or visit www.floors4gyms.com

Pulse signs agreement with PAVIGYM to distribute range TOTAL fitness solutions provider Pulse has signed a long-term exclusive agreement with flooring manufacturer PAVIGYM to distribute their interactive 3.0 product range within the UK, to the public sector, education and military markets. PAVIGYM 3.0 is new range of interactive floor products with integrated LED lights controlled by touch screen software. The 3.0 range includes PAVIGYM Sprint, PAVIGYM Square, PAVIGYM Vertical and PAVIGYM Combo. Pavigym UK sales director Alan Cuthbert said: “We were highly impressed with Pulse’s total solutions offering and their growing involvement in the interactive product sector. “PAVIGYM 3.0 will complement their broad range of solutions and enhance their reputation as leaders in fitness technology. Their existing contracts and relationships within all market sectors are impressive and unrivalled and give us great confidence in the

success of this deal. “As part of the agreement we will also be supporting Pulse’s in-house teams to design and develop bespoke flooring solutions to suit all needs and budgets in their future projects.”

Brady Popping with the XPT power rack that he designed.

Rubicon Sports launches ultimate training partner RUBICON Sports has launched the XPT – the ultimate training partner. This power rack combines the desired benefits of free weights with the safety of machine weights by including a patented quad lock braking system with a unique linear guided barbell. The barbell is incorporated into the rack but unlike a Smith Machine it enables vertical, horizontal, diagonal, lateral and rotational bar movement and this engages all muscle groups as in free weight training. The patented quad lock braking system incorporates two levers on the bar. These are closed by the hands as they grip the bar and when breaking is required, simply opening the hand automatically releases the lever and engages four solid steel locking pins,

catching and stopping the bar in any position. The XPT was designed by Brady Poppinga, a Super Bowl winner with the Green Bay Packers, to enhance his own top end speed, power and explosiveness at the end of his career. He said: “The XPT is a game changer. It combines the safety of a machine with the benefits of free weight training in one compact unit. “The biggest thing for clubs is that it creates the feeling that they care about their members. For gym owners, there’s also that sense of piece of mind. Members can lift in a way that’s beneficial and safe.” To see a YOUTUBE video of the XPT in action visit www.rubiconsports.co.uk or for more information email info@rubiconsports.co.uk

Add KETTFusion to your timetable to increase member motivation AT the start of a New Year why not welcome new members into the gym with an awesome new workout that promises to deliver a full body cardio, strength and conditioning class. KETTFusion seamlessly fuses two proven fitness disciplines – kettlebell training and martial arts exercises – to create a kick-ass workout that will help burn fat and calories fast and keep members coming back for more. Already taking the North West of England by storm, creator of KETTFusion, Michael Ross has been busy hosting instructor training days to help cope with demand for the class from consumers around the country. Successful instructor training programmes have already taken place in 2015 with more already booked into the New Year and beyond. Become one of the first facilities in your area to offer this fusion class and reap the benefits that motivated members bring. The next instructor training courses are taking place on Friday January 28 at the pre-con fitness day at FitJAM at the Alton Towers Resort, Sunday February 14 at Premier International in London, Sunday February 28 at Bankside Health Club in London and

KETTFusion founder Michael Ross. March 13 at Ztudio in Leeds. Alternatively, if you’d like to host your own instructor training day to qualify your fitness instructors then simply get in touch with Michael directly to secure a date. For more information or to book onto a course visit www.kettfusion.com

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If you’ve got a story for a forthcoming issue of Workout email it to editor Christina Eccles at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or call 01226 734463 AUDIO / VISUAL

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